Axle and wheel construction for motor vehicles



April 8 1924. 1,489,384

' H. D. CHURCH AXLE AND WHEEL CONSTRUCTION FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed March 20. 1919 Patented Apr. 8, 1924.

UNITED STATES 1,489,384 PATENT OFFICE.

HAROLD D. CHURCH, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO PACKARD MOTOR CAB,

COMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A. CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

AXLE AND WHEEL CONSTRUCTION FOR MOTOR- VEHICLES.

Application filed March 20, 1919. Serial No. 283,788.

To all whom it may co-ncem:

Be it known that I, HAROLD D. CHURCH. a citizen of the United States, and resident of Detroit, Wayne County, State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Axle and \Vheel Construction for Motor'Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention rel-ates to motor vehicles and particularly to axle and wheel construction.

One object of the invention is to provide a wheel and axle construction embodying spur reduction gearing in the wheel hub with provision for removing the driving axle section without disturbing the gearing or the wheel bearings, and with other novel features.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple and strong wheel and axle construction in which the gear reduction is arranged in the wheel hub.

' Other objects of the invention will appear from the, following description taken in connection with the drawing which forms a part of this specification, and in which the figure is a vertical sectional view through a wheel and axle embodying the invention.

Referring to the drawing, 10 represents a stationary axle or supporting member shown in the form of a tube. A spring pad 11 is mounted on the axle tube and a spring 12 is supported on the spring pad. Brake shoes 13 are shown as supported by the spring pad on a bracket 14.

A wheel 15 which is of the cast steel type is provided with inner and outer hub members 16 and 17 respectively. These hub members, together with a brake drum 18 and an internal gear 19, are secured together and to the wheel 15 by a series of bolts 20.

The hub members 16 and 17 contain the main bearings 21. and 22 of the wheel 15 and these hub members together with an outer cap 23 form a housing for the bearings and the reduction gearing arranged in the hub. A packing late 24: is secured to the inner end of the ub member 16 to prevent the entrance of foreign matter to the housing.

Within the hub is a torque reaction member 25 having a sleeve 26 adapted to be assed over the end of the axle member 10.

he inner end of the sleeve 26 is formed with a series of jaws 27 which co-r'oeratewith similar jaws 28 integrally or other-wise suitably formed on the spring pad 11 so that the torque reaction of the reduction gearing will be transferred through the member 25 directly to the spring pad 11. The spring 12 is preferably so connected at one of its ends to the vehicle frame that the torque and drive of the rear axle is by sald spring transmitted to the body of the vehicle instead of using a separate torque rod as is sometimes the case. Within the axle 10 is a driving shaft or live axle section 29 which is suitably supported at its inner end (in the differential gearing not shown) and its outer end is provided with splines 30 co-operating with suitable key ways in a pinion member 31. The pinion member 31 extends inwardly over the outer end of the axle member lO and has a bearing 32 on the axle member. The inner race 33 of this hearing is retained on the axle member as is also the member 25, by a nut 34 threaded on the end of the axle member. A nut 0r threaded ring 35 retains the inher race of the bearing 21 on the sleeve 26 so that said bearing 21 may take the side thrusts of the wheel 15 in both directions.

The pinion member 31 has a spur pinion 36 formed thereon in the plane of the internal gear 19 above referred to and the exterior of the pinion member 31, out

wardly of the pinion 36, has a cylindrical surface which forms the inner race for the bearing 22 of the wheel 15.

An intermediate gear 37 is suitably mounted on a stud 38 in the member 25 and is in mesh with both the pinion 36 and the internal gear 19 so that it forms anidler between those gears and transmits the rotary motion of the gear 36 to the gear 19 and the wheel 15 at a reduced ratio.

By the above construction it will be seen that the axle section 29 may be removed from the axle tube by taking off the cap 23 and withdrawing the axle section, the splined connection to the pinion member 31 permitting this withdrawal. The inner end of the axle section 29 is of course also splined but it is smaller than the interior of the tube 10 and may therefore be withdrawn outwardly through it. i

The wheel and axle may be further disassembled by taking off the outer hub member 17 which will permit the pinion member 31 to be withdrawn. The nut 34: may

then be removed, and the remaining parts ion memextending through the mile member, e pinion 1 member splineai to the end of the enie and having nheei'ing on said exie memhesl, enii said shaft and pinion being so eonsituated and arranged with respect to eeeh other as to pei'mii; Withdrawal of the driving shaft through the pinion member Without removing the hither from the member.

2. In an axle, ehe combinebi n with e inbuia-r axle member, and e fir; ing shaft extending through and beyond the end of the axle member, of e pinion member enrronnding the outer end of nhe n'nie memoer end having 22 hearing flleireon seioi pinion member having a eentrei opening there through large enough in permit oneweni;

ineeeee Withdrawal of the driving shaft thiough ehe pinion memhen and e s lined eonnee'lcion between 'izhe en of sei shaft end eeiii pinion member.

3. In en axle and whee? construction, 51 enhnier exie member, a driving Sheff, mounted therein, inner end outer hub me bei's z'oteflcehiy mounted on said axle member, :1 need Wheel, an. ennuie'r gem, common meens for seeming said huh members end gene e0 seici Wheel, end ciriving connections between said gear and said; (iriving she'fi 4:. an exile end Wheel construction, a tubular mile member, e driving shaft mounted therein, anti-friction bearings cerrieei by said. inhaler member, inner end oufier'huh members mounte& on saioi bearings, n med Wheei, an ennuiar gear, common means for securing said huh members and gear to said 'Whflh end eii'i'ving connections between said gear and said driving shaft.

in testimony whereof ii affix my signetune.

imeoen n onnnen. 

